Fox on the Run 9808.10 by Nytshaed. ©1998 Chaotic Works Inc. No part of the manuscript may be published, posted or reposted without explicit written permission by the Author. This story is of an Adult nature and is intended for persons over the age of 18.
Nyt
looked out the tinted windows of the bus at the various samplings
of of humanity swarming outside the LA forum that afternoon. FAUST
was in town for a two night sold out stint at the the Forum, and
tonight after the show was the release party for the new CD.
Everyone was trying to get either a ticket to the long sold out
show or a pass to the clandestine party afterwards. You had to be
on the A list of A lists to get invited.
Nyt fondled the laminate hanging around her neck, making sure she had not misplaced it. Even she would have a hard time getting backstage without it security was was going to be so tight tonight. She watched as the crowd milled about and as streams of groupies peered futilely into the windows of the bus for a glimpse at the band. They were out of luck however. No one was on the busses except for the drivers and maybe a stray crew member or two. AJ, the band and his entourage were at the Hyatt Regency doing interviews and other press obligations. After siting there until she felt herself getting quite stiff, she rose from the captain's chair and went into the back to take a shower before heading inside to watch sound check.
By the time she had finished getting redressed and blow drying her hair, the sun was beginning to set, and the crowd outside the stage access roll up doors was increasing, but the bison sized security guards were having no trouble sorting out who went in and who did not. Plopping down on the couch near the curbside, she sipped at a Cherry Coke as she looked at the luck few picking up their tickets at the now open will call window, only to be hounded by scalpers, and eager have-nots. She looked over the guys wandering about. Roadie mentality was beginning to set in as it had been too long since her last lay. Her body and soul missed that sort of carnal attention, and being surrounded by one of the most sexual bands around didn't help matters. Jackie had been making subtle overtures here and there, and AJ seemed to look right through her whenever they were in the same vicinity. He definitely preferred the Bimbo breed, the chestier and stupider the better, so neither of those were a prospect, especially if she wanted to keep her life as Roger had told her.
Suddenly one male outside leaning over to talk into the Will Call window caught her eye. Tall, long black hair to the middle of his back and dressed in tight black jeans and a fringed leather jacket. She smiled and sipped at her Coke. He was definitely a looker from behind. Nice ass, not too fat, but not too skinny either. She could only hope he looked as good from the front. She watched him carefully, and judging from his impatient stance, he was not getting news he wanted to hear. He stood up from his leaning position on the window sill for a second and swung his long hair back over his shoulders before leaning back down. In doing so, he revealed the elaborate custom appliqué work on the back of the jacket for just a second or two. It was a stylized viper in the shape of the letter "S", and the rest of a bands name was spelled out next to it: Sin.
"No.... it can't be..." She said almost dropping her Coke as her heart suddenly began to beat faster with a rush of adrenaline not felt since her fan girl days on the Sunset Strip many years ago. She leaned closer to the window and watched the drama as it played out. His body language was easy enough to read. He was not getting his way. After another minute of arguing with the girl behind the window, he grabbed back what had to be an ID and turned around scowling as he replaced the ID into a wallet drawn from his back pocket.
Nyt's eyes lit up and she sucked in a long breath between her teeth. It WAS him, and she was overjoyed to see that time had not been too unkind to him. She watched as he put the wallet away, and readjusted his jacket along with his bruised dignity. He had been one of the Kings of the LA music scene in years past. He was everywhere it was hip or happening to be. But times and people had changed and apparently his endless red carpet had run out. Nyt could sympathize. She had lost most of her San Fran club connections through sales of the clubs and so many closing. She was a Rock and Roll orphan too, but a lucky one that had been adopted by the best thing going now, FAUST.
Suddenly a plan came to her, and she raced over to the drivers seat and grabbed the microphone. Flipping the switch to PA, she put the mic to her lips and began to sing.
"SOS... I need some SOS..." She sang in her best husky voice. It was the only Sin song she could recall at the moment, SOS being the unspoken acronym for Super Oral Sex. She grinned as she saw his head turn from looking down the street. He stared at the bus with a look of utter surprise and confusion, then a sly smirk crossed his face. He sauntered towards the bus and squinted as he looked in the tinted glass. Nyt smiled as she saw him approach. He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped up to the door, and waited. He smiled winningly at the window right at her as if he could see her through the glass, even though she knew he could not. He looked amazing to her, and better yet, she was the one in control this time.
Rik stared into the opaque glass as were the driver of the bus would would probably be sitting, and gave it his best smile. His heart was pounding with apprehension. SOMEONE in this bus recognized him, and since it was one of the FAUST busses, this could not be a bad thing. It was always darkest before the dawn, and the sun was just coming over the rise. He heard a "click" then a hissing of air as the seal on the bus door was released. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the now unlocked handle and quickly stepped inside, closing the door behind him before the mob noticed the breach in the inner sanctum. The door locked behind him with an ominous "chunk", and he smiled his best smile at the girl looking him over from behind the wheel.
Nyt returned the smile, and fought to keep her fleeting cool. She had the upper hand here, and she had only to remember that, to have this go her way. She sat there gazing at him, drinking in his still marvelous visage, and finally it was he that broke the silence.
"You do much public Karaoke?" He said slowly ascending the steps to the main floor of the bus, and looking down at her. God those eyes of his!! Nyt felt the same flush wash over her she had felt the night she had met him on the Strip those many years ago.
She smiled.
"No, actually that was my debut, and swan song at that career. How've you been Rik?" She asked reclining in the driver's seat. Rik smiled and she felt his eyes wander over her lithe form, and stop momentarily on the All Access Laminate that rested on her chest.
"I've been all right." He said with measured caution as he sat on the couch opposite her, laying his arms along the top of the back cushion. He paused, grinned slyly, then continued.
"And you?"
Nyt smiled.
"Good. Thanks for asking."
Another awkward silence followed and Rik looked away from her momentarily to look around the bus.
"This is one posh ride. Who gets to drive this thing?"
"I do."
Rik looked at her and raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Nice job. How'd you score this gig?" He said looking back over at her.
"Family connections. You wanna see the rest of it?" She said rising from the chair and walking past him.
"Indeed I would." he said getting up and following her to the back of the bus. He smiled as he watched her ass as she lead him towards the back. He wasn't too naive to see where this was probably leading, and if a roll in the sheets got him into the gig of the year, so be it....
The following night, following another post show romp in the bus, Nyt strode up the loading dock ramp with Rik close behind. Just before they entered the hall he leaned forward to catch her hand in his. Nyt turned to look at him with a confused expression.
"What?"
Rik smiled.
"Just holding on to ya, that's all." He said lacing his fingers in
hers and giving her hand a squeeze.
"Cuz I'm your pass ticket huh?"
"Mmm yeah, that and ..." His voice trailed off and he shrugged his shoulders as his eyes flashed at her.
"Yeah right...." Nyt snorted and led him into the hall. The hall was mostly empty now except for those still trying to get backstage, and the roadies tearing down the equipment. They skirted around behind the behemoth stage and followed the sounds of revelry to the party room. It was a lattice fenced off area with the usual bison bodyguards checking credentials at the entrance. Rik proudly flashed his as he followed Nyt inside. She led him to the buffet table where she shook his hand free of hers, and began to fill a plate with pieces of fruit. Rik looked around the room for familiar faces, and smiled. It felt good to be in the groove again. He spotted someone he knew and wandered over to chat, leaving Nyt's side without a word. Nyt turned when she noticed him go, and smiled as she took a bite of a baby carrot. Nothing ever changes, but she had to give him credit for at least acting like his interest in her was genuine. In her heart of hearts she wished it could be true, but turned away from watching him schmooze as she purged that futile thought from her mind.
"He's quite a looker isn't he?" She heard an oily voice say off to her left. Glancing in that direction, her eyes met with AJ's. He smiled, and Nyt shivered. When he looked directly at you and smiled, you felt like a bird caught in a cobra's stare.
"Yeah, I've always thought so." She said after a pause.
AJ nodded and picked a piece of passion fruit off of her plate and popped it into his mouth. He chewed it slowly looking first at Rik across the room, then back at her before speaking again.
"Was he worth it?"
"Worth what?" She said taking a sliding step backward. He was standing too close to her for her liking.
"Did he fuck good enough to earn that pass?"
Nyt smirked at him.
"Ha! You'll never know."
Suddenly his expression became the
same one she had seen the day they had met, dark and seriously
foreboding.
"Don't bet on it..." He said sauntering off into the
crowd.
She watched him lose himself in the crowd, and after eating a couple of more bites of the fruit, tossed the plate away and went in search of Rik. He wasn't where she had seen him last, and unnerved at his sudden disappearance, she stood on tiptoe, and looked around the area again. Finally she saw him at the beer keg tapping himself a cold one. She was relieved to see that AJ was no where to be seen. She couldn't help but feel he was up to no good, and quickly went to rejoin Rik. She sidled up to him and slid her arms around his waist to test his feigned interest in her. He stood up straight in her grasp and turned to face her. A wide smile crossed his face and he leaned down for a long slow kiss. Nyt held him tighter and let him lead the kiss until she thought he was going to break it then took over. She felt him move to set his beer down then wrap his arms around her waist, and then slid them down over her ass where he gave it a hard squeeze. Nyt broke the kiss off and looked up at him. He smiled down at her.
"I am having SUCH a good time." He said wrinkling his nose at her.
"I'm glad to hear that, wanna crank it up a notch?" A male voice said from behind Nyt. She didn't have to look to know who it was. The appreciative smile that spread across Rik's face confirmed this.
"Hey AJ. Great gig tonight." Rik said letting loose his grip on Nyt to extend his right hand to AJ. AJ reached out and shook the offered hand.
"Thanks, I always aim to please..." He purred.
Nyt rolled her eyes and turned to face AJ, sliding an arm around Rik's waist as she did so.
AJ looked over at Nyt and gave her a triumphant smirk then looked back at Rik.
"Enjoying yourself?" He asked him.
"Oh yeah. Great show and a rocking party. No complaints here. Thanks for having me."
The smirk from AJ that followed
was pure evil.
"Don't thank me yet, you're getting ahead of yourself." He said
glancing around the room, when his eyes found Jackie watching the
transpiring events from not far away, he looked back at
Rik.
"Say, you wanna join me for a little private celebration?" He said in a lowered voice as he leaned over closer to Rik.
Rik's eyes lit up like a Bally
pinball machine.
"Sure, where and when?"
"Follow me." He said turning to leave. Rik took a step to follow, and was stopped by Nyt's grip on his right side love handle.
He looked at her, confused.
"Come on, let's go."
Nyt shook her head.
"He doesn't mean us. He means just you."
Rik raised his eyebrows, and then
pouted at her.
"Will you be here when I get back?" He said without a moments
hesitation.
Nyt sighed audibly, and let her
disappointment show in her facial expression.
"Oh yeah... sure."
"Great!" He said leaning over to give her a quick kiss, then again went to follow AJ, but Nyt still held fast to him. He looked at her with a slightly annoyed frown as he broke her grip on him.
"What? Isn't this why you brought me back here? To hang out and party? I'll be back, I promise."
Nyt nodded.
"Yeah, sure you will. You just might not get the kind of partying
you are expecting. I really wish you wouldn't go..." She said in a
pleading tone before she knew it. Roles had been reversed, and he
now had the emotional upper hand, just like in the old days, and
he knew it.
"I'll be back." He said sternly behind a false smile and slipped away to follow AJ out of the room. Jackie fell in behind the two of them and made sure they were not followed.
Nyt stood there, dismay replaced by anger. Anger at herself for being surprised at his actions. Leopards don't change their spots, so why should he be any different than he was years ago.
"Bastard." She muttered then went to return to her own bus to prepare for departure later that night.
Rik chatted excitedly with AJ as they made their way through the Forum's back halls and approached the loading dock. AJ listened not to his endless banter but what his heart and soul were saying to him. He smiled, this would be an easy mark. He stopped just before the open loading door, as Jackie went out first to survey the surroundings.
"About 20 out here AJ." He said in a quiet monotone.
"Damn, if only there was a distraction..." AJ mused, glancing at the nails on his perfectly manicured right hand.
Suddenly there was a chilling screech of rubber, echoed by a second then the heavy sound of cars impacting not far away.
"Jesus!" Rik exclaimed as he looked down the street at the mayhem, along with all of the other people present, save for AJ, Jackie, and the two door bodyguards.
"Jesus had nothing to do with it..." AJ muttered as he stepped out of the door, and Jackie gave Rik a shove breaking his attention from the carnage not 30 feet away. AJ reached his bus ignored by all as the sidewalk and dock area had emptied to go view the accident scene. He stood while Jackie opened the door for him then followed AJ and Rik inside.
Once inside the bus, AJ turned to
Jackie, and lifted his eyebrows.
"That will be all J, I can handle it from here."
Jackie expression was one of
incredulation. He was being dismissed?
"That might not be a good idea boss..." He offered.
AJ gave him a look that spoke volumes about his place in the FAUST food chain. Then his charming smile returned as he put his arm around Rik's shoulder and pulled him close. Rik had not seen the look he had given Jackie.
"Jackie, this is Rik Fox. You don't have to worry about him. Now you aren't from this coast, so you don't know how tony this guy is. He's A list all the way. I'll be fine. Ciao baby."
Rik was so giddy with the adoration AJ was spouting about him, he felt dizzy.
Jackie gave Rik a warning glare, then slowly went to leave the bus. AJ called after him just before he went out the door.
"I believe this leaves Miss Nyt alone bro..." He smirked. Jackie returned the slow smile and left the bus without another word.
Once he was gone AJ turned to Rik and smiled.
"So tell me, what turns you on?"
Rik returned the smile, eager to
please.
"What ever turns you on man. I'm easy."
"So I've been told." He smirked.
Rik squinted momentarily as he
looked closer at AJ who still had his arm around around his
shoulder.
"Ya know, I never noticed it before... You really look a lot like
Punky Meadows up close." He said, then instantly regretted it.
Fuck, what was he thinking saying that? He had always had a weird
latent lust/admiration for Punky.
He was relieved when he saw the appreciative grin on AJ's face.
"Thanks, I'm flattered. He an idol of yours?"
"Oh yeah. He was amazing." He said gushing again before he could stop himself.
AJ nodded, turned and started walking towards the back of the elegantly decorated bus. Rik marveled at the decor and sheer amounts of money this thing must have cost. AJ noticed him admiring the surroundings.
"Not bad for living in while on the road, eh? I have it all to myself, well, except for Jackie. My bedroom is at the back. Come on." He said leading him past the dining table, and television room, bathroom, mini gym, a pair of wall bunks, and finally to a black locked marble door. AJ released his hold on Rik to finger the combination pad on the door lock. There was a beep then the door slid silently into the side of the bus. AJ indicated that Rik was to enter first with a sweep of his arm, and after he followed him inside the door silently reshut.
"Wow... I haven't seen rooms this nice in hotels." Rik marveled as he slowly turned, looking over the stylish Master Bedroom done in black marble, chrome and leather. He inhaled, smelling the exotic incense burning from a hanging censer over the huge silk draped bed, and felt the beginnings of a strange buzz starting. A mound of pillows in varying shades of blacks and grays was piled against the wrought iron headboard. Rik grinned as he spotted the well used leather restraint cuffs chained at opposite sides of the headboard, and wondered how many other toys of this nature lay at hand. He looked down at the bed when he heard something land on it. It was a black leather zipped case about nine inches long, and four inches wide. He watched as AJ moved from a wall locker near the foot of the bed he was locking to the bed to sit down. He picked up the object, then looked up and smiled at Rik as he patted a spot on the bed coverlet next to him.
"Have a sit. Hors d' oeuvres are on the way."
Rik sat beside AJ and watched as he unzipped the wallet and flipped the lid back. Rik sucked in a long breath as he beheld even to a novices eyes what had to be a master heroin shooting kit. AJ grinned over at Rik from under his long bangs.
"Can I offer you a taste?"
Rik took a deep breath and considered. He had partied hard like anyone else but this was a league he had not entered yet.
AJ gave him a friendly smile.
"Come on, you came to party didn't ya? You can't get hooked doing
it once." He said removing the tools needed, and then pulled a
vial of a dark substance out of a pocket in the wallet.
"Sure, why not? I uh... don't know what to do." He admitted sheepishly.
AJ shook his head and laughed.
"Its very easy to do. I'll teach you all you need to
know..."
***
Nyt scowled the whole way back to her bus, and was glad no one attempted conversation with her. She was mad at herself for even caring what happened to him now that he had ditched her. She was even madder at herself for expecting him to act any differently than any other groupie would have, male or female. As she exited the hall, and made her way to the bus, she only glanced at the accident scene drawing the attention of most of the people outside. Then, thinking since it was so close to her bus, she decided to take a walk around it to make sure no damage had occurred. Seeing all was in order, she rounded the front of the bus to find Jackie leaning against the door. He pulled a cigarette out of his mouth, and let the smoke slide out from between his lips like a serpent.
"Nice night for a walk, eh?" He smiled.
"Yeah, wonderful." She growled as she took out her key and unlocked the door.
Jackie smirked as he took another
drag off of the cigarette, not moving to make her task any
easier.
"You're just mad cuz your groupie is someone else's groupie
now."
Nyt paused, and let her head drop
as she sighed loudly.
"No, I am mad at myself for caring. Outta my way Jackie." She said
sternly, then thought better of that, remembering just who she was
talking to.
"Please." She added. "I need to get ready to go."
"Want some company?"
Nyt paused and looked up at him, a
look of confusion on her face as she suddenly noticed the
procedural anomaly.
"What are you doing out here anyway? Shouldn't you be guarding
AJ?"
Jackie chuckled.
"Rik's no threat to AJ. I guess he just didn't want to share him." He grinned perversely "Or let me watch..." He added, chuckling deep.
Nyt shivered.
"Thanks for the visual." She said as she swung the bus door open
and he followed her inside, locking the door behind
him.
Later, Nyt sat in the driver's seat staring out of the front window of the bus seeing nothing. Her chin rested in her hand, and she was lost in a daydream. She flinched when something wet unexpectedly touched her cheek, she quickly turned to see Jackie grinning at her. She scowled at him and he grinned wider.
"Did I interrupt a wet day dream? About the one in the back of the bus ahead of us perhaps?"
"Hardly." She replied watching him carefully as she gunned the throttle on the bus, kicking it down to idle. She stood up from the chair and went to go in the back but Jackie stood and blocked her path. He looked down at her as he stroked her cheek with his hand.
"You can't be his, but you could be mine..." He purred. Nyt closed her eyes for a moment, then pushed past him and rushed for the back of the bus as she felt his lips touch hers. She rushed into her sleeping area of the bus, and slammed the door behind her, locking it, and leaning her back against it. It was only seconds before she felt his soft knock on the door.
"Go away Jackie."
"You really don't want me to do that, do you?"
Nyt looked up at the ceiling, and took a deep breath, fighting down tears.
"Yes, I do. " She said after a long pause.
A moment later, she heard the bus door open and reshut. Letting out a long breath, she let her head drop forward, and shook it slowly. Time was running out for her, in more ways than one.
Nyt emerged from the back of the bus after a long period, and breathed a sigh of relief when she found the bus still empty. After a quick check of the gauges, she stepped outside, feeling the need for fresh air. Jackie was no where to be seen, only a crushed out cigarette butt on the sidewalk remained. All but three or four stragglers had dispersed, and the ones remaining looked toward her hopefully as she wandered toward the loading dock. She could read the desire in their faces, and shook her head, answering their unasked questions.
"AJ is already on his bus and won't be coming back out. The rest of the band will be out PDQ and we will be heading out of town. Sorry kids, that's Rock and Roll." She said walking past them and going inside to see if any of the catering remained. If she couldn't drink right now, maybe a full stomach would help her with the blues.
When she returned from the hall with a large ice bucket of fruit, she watched as Jackie and one of the roadies walked back towards the busses from one of the Forum's Parking lots. She considered asking him if he has seen Rik, but thought better of it, and returned to her bus to prepare to leave.
The following morning, a stabbing ray of bright light struck Rik's face, waking him from a troubled sleep. Slowly opening his eyes after shielding them with his hand reaffirmed the nightmare. He groaned as he rolled onto his back and looked up. His entire body hurt. Several key spots in particular emanated the sharpest pain. His sides, his back, and of course his ass. As his eyes slowly focused, he recognized the interior of his car. He rubbed at the rough growth of stubble on his chin, and yawned, tasting the traces of something foul, and noticing for the first time his lower lip was split in one corner.
Sitting up was agony, and he shivered in the chill morning air, realizing he was not wearing his jacket. Quickly he leaned forward, and groaned as that reawakened the battle damage, then searched his car for his beloved jacket. It was not to be seen.
"Fuck!" He yelled out loud. Not only had he lost one of his favorite pieces of clothing, his car keys had been in it, and they along with the jacket where probably half way to... where, now? A glinting of sun off of metal caught the corner of his eye on the dash board, and there he saw his keys resting in the morning sun.
"Thank god for small favors." He muttered as he slowly shifted his position to try to get a more comfortable one to sit in. Moving around stirred other callings, and after a slow, and painful crawl from the back seat of his car, he stood beside one of the only trees in the near abandoned parking lot taking a piss. He quickly returned to the presumed safety of his car as standing up had proved to be an experience in Vertigo. Reclining in the front seat with his Ray bans covering his eyes, darkness was again his friend. He took in a long breath, and let it out slowly. This was going to be a helluva day.
Later, he stood in his shower letting the hot water run over his head in warm cascades, the shower was nearing it's second hour, as he lifted his head up and shook his long bangs back out of his eyes, and tried again to piece together the jumble of images that was the night before. The only memories that were clear were very disturbing and distasteful, so in the end, after shaving and washing his hair, he left the shower for the sanctity of his darkened bedroom where he slept for the next two days.
AJ sat at the dining table in his bus humming to the tunes being played on his portable CD player as he considered his next backgammon move against Jackie. Jackie glanced up at AJ every now and then, but AJ seemingly did not notice. This was false though, AJ never missed a thing. AJ smiled wide as he got a particularly helpful roll of the dice and moved his markers around the board. Pulling off the headphones he looked over at Jackie.
"Your move."
Jackie nodded silently, then watched as AJ rose from the table and disappeared into the back of the bus for a moment. He returned carrying Rik's leather Jacket, and tossed it onto the seat next to Jackie. Then he turned to one of the many VCR tape decks in the upper part of the bus and ejected a tape from the one of the dubbing ones. He slid it into a cover and tossed it on top of the jacket.
"Take those to Nyt, tell her it's a late birthday gift." He smirked.
"Right boss." Jackie said rising from the table. and picking up the items.
Jackie entered the band's bus amidst a Koosh ball fight between the other band members, This came to a sudden and screeching halt when his tall imposing form entered the bus. He looked over at Rory, the drummer.
"Where's Nyt?"
Rory jerked a thumb in the direction of the back of the bus, and while distracted was smacked in the head by a Koosh ball fired at him by Tom. Jackie gave them all a glare that silenced the merriment as he made his way to the back of the bus.
He found her sitting in the back area reading. She looked up from her book when she saw him enter. Jackie nodded slowly and set the jacket on the table in front of her, with the tape resting on top.
"AJ says 'Happy Late Birthday'."
Nyt glanced at the trophy items of AJ's latest conquest, and sighed, then looked back up at Jackie.
"Tell him thanks. I suppose it could be worse."
"Yeah, it coulda been his head." Jackie said popping a tooth pick into his mouth, and winking at her before leaving the bus. After he left, Nyt put the book down, and looked at the two items for a long time before reaching over to pick up the jacket. She held it up to her nose and inhaled, it smelled of Rik, and she smiled. Going through the pockets she found a gold metal business card holder with several of his personal cards inside, a pack of gum, a very expensive looking hair brush, and in the inside pocket she felt the laminate she had given him two nights before. She pulled it out, and looked at it, and let out a scream, dropping it to the table as she read it.
Instead of being all black as the temporary passes turned after 6 hours, it was silvery in color and in huge red letters in the FAUST font style under a picture of Rik it read "AJ's Bitch".
Anger welled up in her as she snapped up the pass and dropped into the paper shredder across the room. The offending object was gone but not the painful message it had delivered. She slipped Rik's jacket on, it was of course too big, but she didn't care, it felt like a secure piece of armor against things evil. Glancing at the video tape on the table, she didn't have to guess what it must contain. Begrudgingly, she picked it up and locked it in her personal safe before leaving the bus to go in search of breakfast. A new day in Las Vegas was just beginning.
***